Prison versus gaol

It was a privilege last night to go to Mobilong "Correctional Facility"/ "Prison"/"Gaol or Jail".

It was another graduation service (the second of the week for me...the first being a University Graduation) but on this occasion for a group of about 20 prisoners in one of the State's prisons.
This is run by Kairos Prison Ministry. An ecumenical endeavour to prisoners, a short course, and weekly contact with those in jails. (we are still having a debate about jail  or gaol) 

The guys who did the course spoke about "what they had learnt" and "how they had changed". In some senses fairly trite questions...and the guys recognise this...but they roll with it.

Some of my observations:
These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them all

• We had a good conversation in the car on the way home about the way language is used. We had all noted that the,  otherwise, very excellent speaker from the Dept. of Correctional Services used the lingo of her Department.  These were "offenders", and we and they  were told that Kairos was one step towards them getting back on the right track.  This is the language of the Department, I guess, but fairly heavy handed
• My first impression....and this is not the first time I have been in a gaol... as I looked at the security is that:  if this is 'medium and low security'  then what  is high security?  It all looked awful to me
• I was struck by the male membership of the Kairos team and supporters. This is not something that you always experience in the life of the church. It is good to see that  good men think this is valuable ministry
• My friend, Rob, had lured me by the assurance that the guys who would speak would be a  profound experience
• It was indeed,. Groups spoke...and then there was Open Mic ( as a person who does funerals I think this is a big mistake.) But today.......the groups Matthew, Mark, Luke and John....I wonder where those name came from.... and then (sometimes with a little reluctance) from individuals came very interesting reflections
• Most spoke about Forgiveness.  The guys spoke about three things:   How they needed to seek forgiveness.  Well yes!  
• how they needed to forgive...well that's a bit more challenging and complex...they are not only Offenders but are also Victims....some of them were able to even articulate that their families of origin didn't really support and/or love them.    This is bitter stuff. But they needed to forgive... the failures of those who should have done better
• They spoke mainly about the need to forgive themselves .....pretty deep stuff for guys who we may so often think of as hopeless!
• Finally,  and this is not everything I thought,  an APY guy played guitar and  about the Cross. he sang (I am told) in the Pitjantjara language (Were I a producer I would be signing him up today!!)
• I found myself pained, as one who has artistic proclivities, what do you do if you are denied the outlet of your life.   If there is no gyuitar in your room. If you cannot pen the poem that is in your heart (my particular issue)
• I am thankful to shake the hands of those guys...who had to return to lockup

These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them

O Oriens!

The poetic idea of today is that Christ is bringing a new dawn

O dawn! splendour of eternal light,
and sun of justice,
come, and shine on those ,
seated in darkness, and in the shadow of death

I have realised that many of these metaphors that we use ...like dawn and light in darkness
do have a direct application to our inner life
which can be lived in darkness
unless we open a few windows
and allow the Sun to shine in.
Advent offers us Jesus to be that Sun

the Latin words are particularly good!

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina
sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

O Sapientia!---O Wisdom!

As I often say to my girls, "Sing it if you know it!". Today is the beginning of the ultimate run-down to Christmas. It is marked by special singing. Each day at Evening Prayers before and after the singing of Mary's song, Magnificat, a verse is song called the antiphon. And beginning today 17 December special "O" antiphons are sung lauding the attributes of the Word of God.
The first (today's) is O Wisdom of the Most High...or O Sapientia.
I have thought a bit about wisdom in the last few years, some of my thoughts sad and light are:

• It has been a cause of some sadness to realise that age does not necessarily bring wisdom. A number of older people I have observed (particularly men rather than women) far from becoming wiser, seem to grow more truculent, resistent to change, fail to capitalise on experience and decidedly lack insight. My prayer? That I may not do this as I grow older. I requires in particular a capacity to not confuse wisdom with a sense of infallibility, which many old men seem to think they possess.

• And it is just really sad to look at someone as they die and realise that they have resisted even common sense, let alone wisdom, and become more intransigent, difficult and just plain nasty to know.

• The wisdom I want to pass on to my kids? Be very selective who you are rude to because you will invariably find yourself sitting next to them at a wedding.

• My contribution to the wit and wisdom and of the 20th Century. Anglicans like to be told what to do so they can go ahead and not do it!

Countdown spectacular

When I was a boy I was fascinated by the entry in the calendar that says of December 17 "O Sapientia". No one ever really referred to it or did anything on it.
It was only a dozen or so years later that I found it marked the beginning of the earnest Christmas preparation....and each day has a special song (or antiphon) to sing in Evening Prayer before the Magnificat which is sung (or used to be sung) each day during that service.
Welll....to cut a long story short these begin on December 17 with O Sapientia...O Wisdom and culminate on Christmas Eve with O Emmanuel...for obvious reasons.
So the earnest countdown begins today. The Blessed J who loves (or loveth) to sing plainsong will enjoy singing O Sapientia today so the music is provided.
I wonder what other O's there should be [the traditional ones are powerful see here if you are inclined).
But I think also of:
O Jeff!...who will probably not see another Christmas and who I must see tomorrow.
O Carol!...the carol service tonight needs to come out of my mind and into reality
O Dear!...yes there are still half a dozen presents to buy and I will have to brave O Traffic! and O Parking! at O Westfield!
O misericordiae!...have not yet connected with my confessor
O joy! O rapture! O love unbounded! (G&S fans will understand)...it's is such a hoot of a season. Really fun and really serious.

'Tis the season

The season of Advent never fails (so it seems each year) to weave its magic. As the weeks go on and Christmas draws near so much unfolds that it is difficult to escape its challenge, its beauty.
In the northern half of the world the encroaching darkness and cold, is pierced by the bright bizarreness of Christmas lights which look fabulous for that reason.
Here in the south nothing could be more different. Particularly when we are struck by a rush of hot weather....yesterday over 40, more of the same today. So the bright purples of jacaranda (almost over), agapanthus (better than they have ever been) defiantly refuse to be bleached and echo in themselves the liturgical colour. Somehow the heat and the bright light seems very Advent too.
The daily meditation prayer on the Advent antiphons goes

O Wisdom,Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse, Key of David ,
Rising Sun King of the nations,
Emmanuel
Come Lord Jesus

O Sapientia, O Adonai.
O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David,
O Oriens, O Rex Gentorum,
O Emmanuel.
Veni, Domine Jesus.